Many individuals, animals and mechanical devices have limited or no visualization and maneuvering capabilities. Although many maneuvering devices have been designed for robotics, none of these devices can aptly describe the environment to a blind or poorly sighted individual as they move through the environment. For example, robotics may use sonar, infrared, acoustic and microwave sensors to maneuver through the environment. These sensors can indicate the existence of objects and boundaries, such as walls, yet they do not provide any identification of the object or boundary. A blind or poorly sighted individual requires more detailed visual information to successfully maneuver through the surroundings. The mere existence of a barrier is insufficient information for an individual to maneuver through complex environments, which typically include doors, streets, transportation vehicles, and various electrical and mechanical devices.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a system and method for instantly communicating visual information of the surroundings to an individual to facilitate visual perception and maneuvering through the surroundings. The blind or poorly sighted individual could upon demand get a verbal description of objects close at hand, such as the food on a dinner plate or the contents of a newspaper article and a description of a photograph. It also would be advantageous to provide detailed real-time information about more distant surroundings, such as the sky, bodies of water and other background images, to provide a better visual perception and mental picture of the surroundings.